Rain, snow in J&K will reduce Delhi smog: Met Office

Srinagar, Nov 14 (IANS) The Regional Met Office on Tuesday said rain and snowfall forecast in Jammu and Kashmir will help reduce the smog and pollution levels in Delhi and its adjoining areas.

Speaking to IANS, Sonam Lotus, director of the Met Department said: “The balancing of weather system in the coming days in Jammu and Kashmir will definitely help in decreasing the pollution levels in Delhi and adjoining areas as the system is moving Westwards from the state.

“The smog and pollutant levels will drop in Delhi because of the wind speed generated by the gathering weather system in the state.

“We are expecting light to moderate rain in the plains and snowfall in the higher reaches beginning today (Tuesday) afternoon.

“This will break the long dry spell that continued in the state for nearly three months”.

Due to the night-long cloud cover, the night’s minimum temperature that had dropped below the freezing point on Monday rose to 2.9 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Tuesday.

The maximum temperature was 18.2 degrees in Srinagar on Monday. “The large gap between the minimum and maximum temperatures in the valley will also narrow down in the coming days due to cloud cover,” Lotus said.

The night’s lowest temperature in Jammu city was 14.4 on Tuesday while the maximum was 25.6 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Pahalgam recorded 0.8 degrees as the night’s lowest while Gulmarg recorded zero degrees as the lowest night temperature.

In the Jammu region, Bannihal town recorded 3.6, Katra 11.9 and Bhaderwah 5.7 as the night’s minimum temperature, Lotus said.